Random Hit Points

[MKula]

You know what's bugged me for along time? The fact that when you level up, you get a random number of hit points depending on your level and class.

Actually, I never even noticed this until I once had a Kobold Priest who was lvl 8 with 24 hp. Should hit point generation be less random? Is it just me? I mean, if you roll a Half-troll Warrior, shouldn't you pretty much be *guaranteed* hit points coming out of your ears? If the RNG gods hate you, you might end up with less than a gnome mage...

True, you could argue that in the late game this is overshadowed by huge CON bonuses. But I spend most of my time in the early game.

I figure hit points should be class + race + randomizer
Class = constant value
Race = constant value
Randomizer = +/- 1d4 (or other small value)

Thoughts?

[dos350]

i understand your grief, eee but please no ! it is good as is

[Sirridan]

Yeah, it is a bit distressing to have 50 hit points as a level 10 high elf mage one game, then 80 the next, or maybe even 100?

I had 30 at level 10 once, it was nuts. Character didn't last long at all.

[camlost]

I'm pretty sure that V requires that the base total be within some range at level 50, but doesn't have any safeguards against early bad rolls. Some variants include safeguards along the way.

[Derakon]

Ehh, I don't have a problem with this. Some characters are going to be harder than others, whether that be down to bad hitpoint rolls, bad treasure rolls, bad monster rolls, or anything else along those lines.

(This may not seem to gel with my earlier statements on disliking hobbits because of their poor hitdice, but that's a question of how you turn out on average, not how you turn out in specific)

[Nile]

The amount of randomness in the hitdice has always bugged me. I like the idea of the OP. You could do it two ways, like this:

Human = 3 + d4
Half-Elf = 3 + d3
Elf = 3 + d2

Or this:

Human = 4 + d2
Half-Elf = 3.5 + d2
Elf = 3 + d2

[jevansau]

I quite like Nile's second suggestion.

[Tiburon Silverflame]

If you go that far, then I'd just as soon remove *all* randomness.

Another factor at play here: does very low Con *cost* hit points? I don't want to dig through to find out. The reason it comes to mind is that kobold priest should be getting 10-siders, as I understand it...8 from race, 2 from class. 8d10 is NOT gonna give 24 very often...but 8 * (d10-2) would.

One option, as a middle ground: make it d(race) + class. So a dunadan (10) warrior (9) would get d10+9, not d19, per level.

[Zyphyr]

Originally Posted by Tiburon Silverflame

One option, as a middle ground: make it d(race) + class. So a dunadan (10) warrior (9) would get d10+9, not d19, per level.

I rather like this option, though in this case the Class numbers would need to lowered a bit to offset the inflation in HP that would otherwise result.

[zaimoni]

Originally Posted by Tiburon Silverflame

Another factor at play here: does very low Con *cost* hit points?

Yes. It's not a particularly noticeable penality at low character levels, though.